Great Spaces: Vancouver Lights Up This Laboratory-Like Chicken Chain

When Cara McConnell set out to design downtown L.A.'s California Chicken Cafe€”an American rotisserie chain€”she looked north for lighting. €œWe wanted a clean, playful, but laboratory-like feel to the interior,€ she says. McConnell recalled seeing Vancouver's Andlight at an exhibition a few years earlier, and thought their LED lighting was the perfect mix of function and whimsy.

The restaurant's cafeteria-like seating area is open-concept, with muted blue micro-cement benches and a mix of crisp, white Corian and solid-maple butcher block tabletops. It's a practical design€”but potentially very loud, says Caine Heintzman, co-founder of Andlight. Marigold Slab pendants designed by Lukas Peet do double duty in the space: they provide light and regulate the racket. (The pendants have a large surface area and are enveloped in organic merino wool felt, which is absorptive to sound.) €œIt's a very big, open space, so the Slab light is a great one because It's able to help contain the bouncing noise,€ says Heintzman.

Another of Andlight's creations, the Pipeline series, also became a staple in the café. The slick, modular lights line the ordering area, keeping sightlines into the kitchen clear. €œPart of the restaurant's brand is to be very honest about what they are making,€ explains Heintzman, €œand that openness is something we consider€”we don't want to obstruct that.€ Outside on the patio, the slim lights culminate in one single statement light: the CM9 chandelier. This major eyecatcher is constructed from several Pipeline lights connected together. €œThis orientation invites a lot more engagement,€ says Heintzman, who designed the series himself.

The fresh space echoes the utilitarian vibes of a kitchen, with colourful quirks that keep it from looking clinical. The collaboration was an easy fit, says Heintzman. €œThey have this technical functionality and a bit of playfulness, which are values that we share in our brand as well.€